Aluminum inventories in Japan drop by 0.4% monthly, according to Marubeni's recent statement
Aluminium Inventory Decline at Japanese Ports
New data released by Marubeni Corp., which monitors the ports of Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka, reveals a decrease in aluminium stocks at these major Japanese ports from July 2024 to July 2025.
The total aluminium stock at the three ports in July 2025 was 315,400 metric tons, a decrease of 0.4% from June 2025's total of 316,700 metric tons. This decline is mainly attributed to tightened domestic supply and rising demand from downstream sectors.
In July 2024, the total aluminium stock at the three ports was 299,600 metric tons. This indicates a drop of around 4.3% from the end of June 2025.
The decrease in supply can be attributed to restricted domestic supply, as evidenced by the drop in aluminium stocks at the ports. Japanese car sales surged over 21% month-on-month in June 2025, boosting aluminium consumption for vehicle production. Additionally, rapid growth in AI technologies drives demand for high-purity aluminium products, especially for server capacitors, further draining inventories.
July 2025 showed limited upside potential due to elevated prices and export difficulties, leading to cautious market sentiment and continued inventory drawdown. Aluminium prices in Japan increased about 1.76% mid-July 2025, while globally, LME aluminium prices showed a decline by roughly 0.9% towards the end of July 2025.
The broader economic context includes competition pressures from China in steel and automotive sectors, along with tariff uncertainties impacting domestic production and exports.
In conclusion, the interplay of tight supply conditions in Japan combined with strong downstream demand, especially from the automotive and AI industries, are driving the inventory declines at Japanese ports over this period. The data presented in the table, provided by Marubeni Corp., shows aluminium stocks data for three specific ports in Japan for the months of July 2025, June 2025, and July 2024.
